Tape rule



y 1949- E. J. WITCHGER 2,469,674

TAPE RULE Filed Sept. 4, 194,5

Patented May 10, 1949 N D PATIENT" orties,

"Eugene-J. witchger saginaw, TM-ifch .assignorlto 'Th'e Lil'fkiii Rule Gm, 'Saglnam'lMich;

Application sefitember 4, 1945,- s'ei ial mo. 51 131937 1 1 iIh-is invention relates-to icoilable' concave; convex tape rules of the 'so-called lpush-pull:type, wherein the tape is anounted in -a casing where it is coiled witheach successivewconvolution over lying the preceding convolution, -=the two :being drawn out from the casing-by pulling and arestored to -the-case by pushing;

:It is highly desirable in push tpull tape rules of the nature herein referred'to that -bothlthe withdrawa-l and the coiling or rewinding he-191660111- pli'shed with a minimum of effort, and that the force required 'be uniformthroughout the entire range of operations, furthermore, there shouldbe no'creeping movement' ofthe tapewat anylpoint in its 'operations.

one 101" the salientfeatures not the -inventinn :is to'iprovi'de means for control-lingithe action' oisa concave convex tape rule tand to maintain-the telescopic -'case sections Fin pnoper'iposition with relation to'eachhther.

vAnother obj ect is to iprovidezmeans on :thetape and engageable withcthe ".case to icreate :a tension on the end section of "-tlreiape iwhm it is fully pushed'into the :case, thereby nomnngzspacede apart friction catches iand preventingiit awonking outfof theicase*wheniully wound;

A :further 'obj ect is to provideimeansaforachang ing the xtape rule lfrom 1a :nomplanar in Ta 1 planar stla'iims. (Cl. 242 84192)" 2 invention, such disclosed means and-mode illustrating, however, but one of various ways in which the' principle of the invention may :be used.

.Inthe-drawing: Fig. 1 is an enlarged; sectional, side-elevation al view *of my measuring tape rule.

Fig. -2 :is a 'view similar to Fig. 1 i11ust1ating the "tapezlock'ed in :the casing.

Fig.3 isia top'planw iewvof thetape rule. eFl'ig. 4 :an enlarged, isometric view "of 'the :snubber'clip.

section which means :also *serves to reinforce the oase' across thetape-entrance slot.

prevent lthe end hook beingl'drawmorzpressed'sout 'of reach, "and entirely zin'to th'e case, said :means further preventing, in :a large measure;- the dentrance 'o'f dus't' and dirt into the 'case through the tape'ientrance.

Cc'vn'cave-convex ta'p'e iruleshave'la natural inherent tendency to assume -a straiht 1llne the coil in the center out through the casingllnpening; but iby :ichangin'g the :natural tcourserso'f the tape, *wliich has Ia natural itendencyito straighten, a tension is created at -ohe'p'oint of changemhich tension acts za's'h'a brakefOIllthe'ltflPEWhGtIiit .iis extended,-ithus preventing creeping? Tbutinrrio manner interfering withthe :rewin'ding operation.

Another object 'is to provide means to iorevent the coiled 'tape iromwworking :ou'tcof theaca'se-dry creating a aten'sionion :theiextreme t-zendiof'ithetape W'ihe'nZ'it is. fully pushed into the case.

To the accomplishment :of the ionegoing related'uends, :sa'id :invention :then ic'onsists .inith means ihereinafter described, :and :particularly .poin'ted out in the claims and annexed :drawing, the following description settmg 'forth in detail ccrtainsmeans and roneimodetofinarmngmut the m5 .=Fig."5 ;is :a sectional end 'view taken on 'the line 25- 5 of Fig. 4.

tReferring now 'to *the drawing in which I 5113MB shown a case B formed of individual sections 1H and 13-2 rrespectivlely, tone o'f sa'id sections teles'ooping- 111170 the other; the section :I l being provided with ;a piost or pintle having :a centrally :disiposed threaded opening .I4 therein. :A centrally disposed opening 15 is provided in the "case section" M, i said opening registering with :the threaded opening l4,- and a screw ll? is provided '30: lfirmly securing the sections in assembled relation.

' -A 'slitted:opening l -I is provided ineac'h of the "sections H :and 1'2 in-aligned relation and forms an -entrance slot for #the tape ru'le T in the usual manner.

My improvement is specifically directed to I concave-convex tape rules whichhavea natural inherenttendency to assume a straight-line when 'dr-awnirom' the case. In theinstant design, the post 43 serves as an anchorage for the one :end dftlzie coil spring -I 8, this "spring being -c0i1ed on the post withthe free endconnected to the' inner end of the tape-rule T, said spring tending vto draw the tape into the ease :and thaw it .intoa -'coil;:the' portion 'within' the" case being changed from non-planar to a planar cross+section when 'coileds A :snubberwlip C is mounted on and fits over the'lopposit'e' :edges :of th'eentrance s'lot :1 and is preferably in the form of a stamping, said clip zincluding vazflat wall 19 with its .inner .end downwandlyicurvved as at :21), the outer :end :seotti'onxlbeing Lbent upwardly as shown :at 2!, and downwardly turned cars '22 are provided on the edges-(of the "section 2| and serve to accurately epacevthe case sections with :relation to each "other;

The outer end of the clip 0 terminates tin a curved lip 23 which covers the edges -on the :one .'-side oftheentrance slot I'Lsaid lip beingof the .samecurvatureas the outerlrimof the oasetso \thetiatemooth, ti ht mils-assured;

The curvature of the leg 25 and the angle of I the section 2i form a restricted throat opening through which the tape is drawn or pushed back for recoiling, and I wish to direct particular attention to the fact that the clip serves to keep the case sections in proper location and also covers any sharp jagged edges which might otherwise score the tape metal, and it further reinforces the case by providing support across the tape entrance.

The tape, when wound, is planar in cross-section, and has an inherent tendency to assume a straight line when unwound, consequently, when the tape is drawn from the case, it passes over the curved section 29 and immediately begins to straighten and spring to a non-planar shape, and inasmuch as the abutment 2? formed by the turned lip 26 on the section 25, extends into the normal path of travel of the tape, a tension is created between the curved section 28, the abutment 27, and the coil of tape in the case, this tension creating a brake when the tape is extended and also serves to prevent any creeping action.

When the tape is pushed into the case, it passes over the abutment 28 through the tape entrance H, the inward push forcing the tape out of contact with the upper face of the member 19 so that it in no manner affects the insertion of the tape in the case, it is as free and easy to insert as though there were no clip.

A hook 29 is provided on the outer end of the tape rule and is secured in position by means of spaced-apart rivets or eyelets 30 and 3! respectively, this hook section reinforcing the end section of the tape for a predetermined distance back from the end, so that when the tape is pushed into the case, it creates a greater tension between the tape opening and the clip, thus serving to frictionally lock the tape in the case.

When the tape is completely Wound, the frictional contact will be between the rivet 30 and the bottom face of the overhanging leg 25, but if for any reason, accidental or otherwise, the tape were not completel wound, the second rivet 3| would act in exactly the same manner, it will thus be obvious that each of the rivets serve the same purpose.

It will, of course, be understood that any projection, such as an upset or raised weld, could be substituted for the rivets with exactly the same result.

From the foregoing description, it will be obvious that the rule can be pushed into the casing very easily and without tendency to choke or buckle, it can be easily extended, has adequate holding means to prevent creeping, the sectional casing will remain in predetermined set relation, and the tape entrance will be amply reinforced.

What I claim is:

1. In a tape measure of the push-pull type having in combination, a casing having a tape entrance therein, a flexible tape rule extending into the casing and through said entrance, and being in its free state rod-like and of non-planar cross-section, means tending to draw the rule into the casing, a one-piece snubber clip mounted in said casing outside the coiled tape and formed with spaced-apart lips engageable with and covering the edges of the tape entrance and between which the tape travels as it is withdrawn or pushed into the casing, one of said lips forming an abutment which extends into the normal .srtaight line of travel of the tape to change the natural course of the tape as it is withdrawn from the casing.

2. A construction as described in claim 1 in which both lips form abutments for changing the natural course of the tape as it is drawn from and pushed into the case.

3. The combination as defined in claim 1 in which the clip forms a reinforcement for the case across the tape entrance.

4. In a coilable measuring tape of the character described, a resilient measuring tape of the pushpull type, having a transverse curvature and an inherent tendency to assume a rectilinear state, a casing having a peripheral rim with an entrance slot therein and through which the tape is moved, a winding spring in the casing and secured to the inner end of the tape, a clip mounted in said casing and including a fiat body section, an overhanging leg, curved lip sections formed on the body and leg sections respectively and covering and engaging the opposite edges of the entrance slot, said tape traveling over said body section as it is withdrawn or pushed into said casing, the outer end of the leg section extending into the normal path of travel of the tape after it is in its rectilinear state, and. tending to change the natural course of the tape.

5. The combination set forth in claim 4 in which the casing comprises individual sections, and means on the clip for accurately spacing said sections with relation to each other.

6. In a coilable measuring device of the class described, a resilient tape rule having a transverse curvature and an inherent tendency to assume a rectilinear state, a casing formed with an entrance slot through which the tape is moved, a snubber clip mounted on said casing and including a flat wall over which the tape rule travels as it is withdrawn and coiled, the front end section of said wall being bent upwardly and terminating in a curved lip section covering one edge of the entrance slot, an overhanging leg formed integral with said clip and spaced a predetermined distance above said wall, said leg terminating in a turned lip engaging the opposite edge of the entrance slot; said wall and turned lip changing the natural course of the tape as it is withdrawn from the casing.

'7. In a coilable, concave-convex measuring tape of the push-pull type having an inherent tendency to assume a rectilinear state, a casing having a peripheral rim with an entrance slot therein and through which the tape is moved, a snubber clip mounted in the casing and having a flat wall over which the tape travels, an abutment on the clip above said Wall and defining one edge of the entrance slot, said abutment extending into the normal path of travel of the tape after it is in its rectilinear state, and a raised section on the tape adjacent the end thereof for frictionally engaging said abutment to create a tension and form a safety catch'to lock the tape in position when it is fully pushed into the case.

8. The combination as defined in claim 7 in which a hook is secured on the end of the tape with the hook securing means forming said raised The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS section to provide an individual safety catch. Number Name Date EUGENE WITCHGER 1,491,437 Taylor Apr. 22, 1924 2,110,210 Evans Mar. 8, 1938 REFERE E ITED 2,131,694 Stowell Sept. 27, 1938 2,156,907 Volz May 2, 1939 

